Following on from the PC Santa thread yesterday, I'm curious what non-Christians feel about Christmas. The anti-PC brigade seem to want to argue that "Merry Xmas" has morphed into "Happy Holidays" to avoid offending non-Christians. I wonder if that's the case.

Also, "any aspect of Xmas" is a broad brush. Please describe how you've interpreted that, if you wish. And finally, lack of space meant that religious/philosophical choices had to be truncated. State your own preference, if you'd like.

Cheers.

Hindu, No - on both.

Note that I'm not sure i I should have voted Hindu or "not covered". On full moon days I consider myself agnostic and I don't consider atheist the same thing.

I'm agnostic (different to atheism) and would not be offended if someone wished me a Merry Christmas. I rather like it. I was brought up celebrating Christmas (non religious way, y'know turkey, presents, lots of chocolate!) and it is part of my life. I enjoy decorating the tree, I enjoy wrapping the presents and so on. It's a really nice time of year.

not a well laid out poll. where's the choice for us reformed druids?

Who died and appointed you poll police?

noticed yet it's becoming a stock answer for me?

Lack of space. Please note, "any aspects of Xmas" can also cover hookers in Santa hats.

Oh man, I forgot all about the underground Christmas lapdance parties!

So, do you mention you're a Hindu when you're wished a Merry Xmas? For some reason, I can picture you getting great delight out of embarrassing some spotty high-schooler who says his stock phrase when you enter Blockbuster.

No, heck no. Mention I'm Hindu and get all kinds of questions on the caste system and whether we really burn widows? No thank you. I keep my religion (or lack of?) to myself

Well, do you?

j/k

he's reformed........he burns windows.

Only the ugly ones.

I thought windows melted, not burned. Unless they are wood frame, of course. Mmmn......gonna have to think about that one.

Mags,
who is waffling on about nothing again, as usual.

Thankfully, where I work, we're "allowed" to wish our patients a "Merry Christmas".... NOT "Happy Holidays" or any other form of it.

I find it actually offensive that after hundreds of years in both the U.S. and Canada (where I'm from), we've celebrated
Christmas and now we're not "allowed" to, because it might offend somebody.

I am not Christian (I'm athiest), but I have always celebrated Christmas, which to me is family, food, gifts, decorations and fun.

If that is true, why do you think that is?

Edit, after your's: Do you think non-Christians (such as yourself) are actually offended? This non-scientific poll so far would say otherwise.

I have seen, more than once, elderly ladies at department stores like Macy's getting pissed off when someone wished them Merry Christmas. It does happen.

Because they weren't Christian?

In one case, the response was an angry "I"m Jewish". My wife worked at that store, I was hanging out waiting for her to get done. She said I'm Jewish and stormed away.

In another instance, when I was working at an electronics store in sales, the complaint came to us from management.. apparently,some customer had complained about Merry Christmas because it wasn't inclusive. Religion of the perpetrator - unknown.

Hmm. Interesting.

A store owner wants lots of customers. Christmas is a big time of year for shopping. What to do? Tell his employees to say "Happy Holidays", get customers from all religions, non-religions, don't-give-a-shite-either-way's & yet risk pissing off a small % of Christians who do care, or say, "Merry Christmas" & risk pissing off old Jewish women and others who like to be offended by nothing in particular.

Don't get these problems in the UK. It's Merry Christmas or nothing!

I suspect it depends on the demographic that frequents your store. If the community around me was largely, say, Evangelical, I (if I was a store manager) wouldn't care too much about the sole Jewish family in town - I'd encourage Merry Christmas.

But I'm talking about stores in central NJ. Sure, there are evangelicals (I think) but given the predominantly Jewish and immigrant (mostly Indian, increasingly Hispanic) nature of this community, Happy Holidays is definitely the safe way to go.

Well, quite. Altho Kwanzaa is celebrated there either. Also, Brits don't tend to wear their religion on their sleeve. It's a personal thing, if at all.

I just can't see that if I was in Israel in December, that I would be offended if someone wished me a Happy Hanukkah.

You may not realize it, but you're channeling Rush Limbaugh

i am Muslim...and i do not get offended at all..my parents and rest of family are not..so, we celebrate with them....

sanita has a new year's tree...

I agree. But at the end of the day, it's about The Bottom Line. It's not a War on Christmas. It's not about Political Correctness. It's about what will bring in most money, and which option involves the least risk to that end.

I'm glad to say I've never listened to him, but I get your point.

I think that people want to feel it's about not offending anyone. I just don't believe that. It's a fear that isn't really there.

Another agnostic who doesn't mind at all. I even listen to the reading of Luke 2:1-20 on Christmas day morning without catching fire or turning into stone.
Wishing Happy Holidays does make sense to me too though. There are so many more holidays in various religions and cultures around that time of year. The Holidays are more than just xmas.

Maybe that's another reason to why Christmas is celebrated then too, eh?

Agreed.

I agree. Although, I think that there is this conspiratorial notion, that a small minority (the so-called PC gang) go around and bully these merchants into taking down their 'Merry Christmas' signs. There may be an element of truth in that, however, they aren't the only group who has gone after merchants over things like boycotting a company for offering benifits to gay partners, etc. In other words, the so-called PC gang didn't start the battle over PC.

Of course, we're ignoring one aspect of this completely. Many schools no longer allow Christmas displays although they will allow displays from other faiths. Same goes for some municipal property. That's the real reason they're pissed off, not because of Macy's.

I agree here... I'm an agnostic leaning Buddhist and I don't get offended if people say Merry Christmas, just like I didn't get offended when someone said Happy Mother's Day to me, and I have no kids....he was just saying it to all women to cover his bases...LOL. But anyway, I don't get why folks get so bent out of shape about Happy Holidays...why should I assume someone is something particular? It IS easier and more inclusive. For someone I know specifically what their religion is, I say that...be it Merry Christmas or Happy Hannukah...said Happy Diwali to two Indian girls at work and they were actually pleased I knew it even existed. But in the end, if someone wants to wish me a happy/merry anything, that's great...at least they aren't wishing I have an unhappy/unmerry whatever!

HAPPY WHATEVER DAY!!!

Like this one.

We are both Muslim. His family are mostly Christian & celebrate Christmas. We go to his dad's house & help decorate the tree. We go to his mom or grandma for dinner.

My family are Muslim but my parents sent me to Catholic school (kindergarten to highschool). I personally always to think that religion is a personal thing.

And as in anything else in life, do not get offended too easily. If somebody says Merry Christmas to us, no reason to get upset. Same thing if somebody says assalaamu alaikum in Indonesia to non Muslim, I never seen anyone get offended either.

To be honest, I think this country gets too bent out of shape about the separation of church & government thing. I see the wisdom of it, but sometimes it's too an extent that no longer makes sense. Have a bloody Nativity scene in a school, for fcuk's sake. Add a menorah, if you want. And Diwali lights. Who cares? Personally, I would even add Religion to a school's curriculum.

I agree.

Pagan.

Not offended.

Celebrate the pagan part of xmas.... tree, yule log, holly, presents, etc.

Yay for the tree!

Ok why hasn't this broken out into a flame war yet?

I share your chagrin, Troll.

we are putting up our tree the first weekend in December and yes we have a fake tree but it is quite nice and not as messy...

We use fake trees 'cuz killing a tree for a few days enjoyment is insane. I traditionally put up the tree the day after Thanksgiving. I like looking at the tree for as long as possible.

I do too but I think the first week of December is the earliest that I can convince hubby to do it

was that a poll choice?

i blame frances

I want to get a real tree this year so that Jinky and Job can smell what a real pine tree smells like...they only have the fake ones in the PI.

i'm scared, i need a kitty pic now

No flame wars allowed, not on a Friday. And I'm eating my lunch. Don't disturb the mod and her baked potatoey goodness.